Administration, Public Relations and the website

              CLUB ASSEMBLY - PLANNING FOR THE ROTARY YEAR 1JULY 2023 TO 30 JUNE 2024

Communication &Public Relations Robert Mirfield & Brian Whitham:

Website

Up to now the website has had two main aims: to keep members informed about meetings, activities and events within the Club and as a window the public can utilise to learn more about Aireborough Rotary. As website co-ordinator I remain ever grateful to those who pass on the necessary information to keep the site up to date. Recruitment of new members remains the Club’s most important activity with the website playing a part. It has to welcome visitors, hold their attention initially and through ‘What we do’ summarise the current wide range of Club activities. This aims to strike a chord with what could visitors’ particular causes or interests. This aspect is definitely still ‘a work in progress’ with the Calendar also reflecting our range of events.

Public relations

The link with the Wharfedale Observer/Ilkley Gazette means that the Club receives regular coverage of events and activities both in the weekly issues and online. Because they are part of a conglomerate this coverage is extended to both the Bradford Telegraph and Argus and the Yorkshire Evening Post. Janet Appleton has strengthened links with the Squeaker which is now more frequently advertising and recording our activities and taking them every month into a wide number of local homes.

Tony Scaife’s weekly Bugle is another valuable tool for keeping members informed as well as pointing us to websites outside the Club helping us all to extend our knowledge about ‘things Rotary’.

Several members use facebook actively and we have one brave individual for whom twitter is the medium of choice. Both spread the word about Aireborough Rotary’s activities and successes. John Kitching worked brilliantly on publicising the last Aireborough Beer Festival​ on facebook and his informative and chatty pieces about beers and entertainment were extensively shared and must have had a positive effect on increasing footfall.

We are also indebted to Graham for his link with Widd signs which in the past week has seen Brian Whitham complete a circuit of local vantage points with posters to publicise this year’s Beer Festival. Brian Whitham’s use of the the photo frame from Widd Signs seen on the Club’s ‘What’s App’ provides another opportunity for Beer Festival attenders to spread the message further.

CLUB ASSEMBLY 21 JUNE 2022

Website

Up to now the website has had two main aims, to keep members informed about meetings, activities and events within the Club and as a window the public can use to learn more about Aireborough Rotary. As website co-ordinator I remain grateful to everyone who collects information to help me keep the site up to date. 

Currently and importantly the Club, led by Tony Scaife, is working on an Action Plan to ensure the Club's effective survival into the future. Recruitment of new members has to be the keynote using social media as a critical part. The website will have an important part to play in welcoming visitors and holding their attention. The wide range of Club activities can strike a chord with the particular causes in which they are interested and show them how volunteering and the social life it brings with it works for us.

Public relations

Our link with the Wharfedale Observer/Ilkley Gazette means that the Club receives regular coverage of events in both the weekly issues and online. Because they are part of a conglomerate this coverage extends to both the Telegraph and Argus, the Yorkshire Evening Post and on rare occasions the Yorkshire Post.

Tony Scaife's weekly Bugle is another valuable tool for keeping members informed and pointing us to websites outside the Club helping us all to widen our knowledge about 'things Rotary'.

Several members use facebook actively and we have one member for whom twitter is the medium of choice. Both spread the word about Aireborough Rotary's events. projects and successes. John Kitching worked brilliantly on publicising the 5th Aireborough Beer Festival on facebook and his informative, chatty pieces about beers and entertainment were extensively shared and must have had a positvie effect on helping bring footfall back to pre-pandemic levels. Social media do pay off

Robert Mirfield